How do you effectively engage and recognize global, online faculty? We ask this question everyday! Ideas have emerged and programs have been developed, but more can be done. Join our conversation about faculty engagement and recognition through the use of innovative technology!
How do you effectively engage and recognize online faculty who are spread across the globe? In response to this question, we have developed programs and processes to welcome new faculty, engage veteran faculty, and recognize faculty for their contributions to the university. Reaching out to our faculty is very easy -- it is as simple as a click of a button! But is it effective? At times it seems like we are sending smoke signals and hoping that we are seen from across the ocean.
At UMUC, we have approximately 5000 (primarily adjunct) faculty spread throughout Asia, Europe, and the United States. They are accomplished practitioners and passionate educators who lead very busy lives. Most indicate they have a strong interest in professional development opportunities offered by UMUC; however, their response, while growing, leads us to believe that there are missed opportunities for engagement and recognition.
The faculty outreach and recognition programs that we currently offer include:
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New Faculty Outreach: Faculty who have successfully completed the orientation course are invited to a new faculty meet-up (held in WebEx) or to schedule a one-on-one consultation session with a Faculty Training Specialist.
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Peer Mentoring: New faculty are paired with established, high performing faculty so they can receive additional support and guidance during their first term.
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Webinar Series: Approximately six webinars are offered each month; faculty are invited to register for live attendance and/or to receive a follow-up email with a link to the recording. Each webinar topic is discussed in Engage, the internal communications platform. Faculty are also invited to serve as presenters for webinar series.
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Annual Virtual Conference: Nearly 60 online presentations are offered over a three-day period.
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Global Faculty Appreciation and Awards: A five-day, virtual event where faculty are recognized for years of service, professional achievement, teaching excellence, and going above and beyond.
Participation in these events has steadily grown, yet we are confident that there is more we can do to engage and recognize our faculty.
The following questions will be discussed:
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What strategies do you use to engage new faculty and help them feel a stronger connection to your institution?
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How do you engage and recognize veteran faculty for their ongoing contributions?
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How do you overcome obstacles such as different time zones, budget constraints, and hesitation to adopt new technology?
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What has been the most successful faculty engagement and recognition program at your institution?
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What tech tools are you using and how have faculty responded?
The goal of this conversation is to generate ideas, best practices, and “lessons learned” surrounding the topic of faculty engagement and recognition.